New to Smoking food
#11
  Re: (...)
Ok, Steve had some Christmas money and bought new smoker.

Any suggestions on our first try into smoking. (Well, we have smoked some with older/borrowed smokers maybe 4 or 5 times over 8 years).
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
The time is flying by.
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#12
  Re: New to Smoking food by esgunn (Ok, Steve had some...)
I've wanted to do pastrami, but I haven't gotten around to it since I got the book and stuff for the cure.

How about something simple like chicken?
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#13
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by Gourmet_Mom (I've wanted to do pa...)
Have fun with your smoker! I have a Weber Smokey Mountain, which is pretty different (charcoal rather than electric), and love it. I think one of the easiest and most forgiving things to smoke on your first try would probably be a Boston Butt (pulled pork sandwiches and great meat for lots of other recipes). I also really like smoking chuck roast, for pulled beef sandwiches and as a filling for enchiladas.

I've never made pastrami from scratch, but have made a mock pastrami by using pastrami rub on a store-bought corned beef. It turned out really well and allowed me to skip the cure. I've been tempted to do it from scratch but haven't as of yet.

I love to have smoked chicken on hand as well, but I usually just throw some on after I take meat off. It doesn't take very long compared to pork or beef.
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#14
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by karyn (Have fun with your s...)
Great lookin' smoker - you'll have fun!

Erin, I would suggest starting out with a chicken or cornish game hen, or even a turkey breast.

Here are a couple of ideas for you - this Canadian bacon is absolutely wonderful and really very easy. Takes a couple days, but almost all smoking things do.

Canadian Bacon - Dave Nelson

BRINE FIRST

Day One...
You'll need to gather your curing ingredientMorton's Tender Quick, Brown Sugar and some Montreal Steak Seasoning.

You'll need 1 tablespoon Morton's Tender Quick, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and a Teaspoon or so of Montreal Steak Seasoning for each 1 pound bacon. Once measured, blend together.

Cut your boneless pork loin into four one pound pieces and get your Jaccard Meat Tenderizer ready. Jaccard the loins in three stabs per side...this allows the cure to penetrate quickly and thoroughly. You'll need to rub each piece with the spice blend thoroughly.

I like to tie the pieces to keep a nice round shape during the smoking process.
Cure under refrigeration each piece for 24 hours in separate zip style bags.

Day Two
After 24 hours...remove the pieces from the fridge and rinse very thoroughly....Let them sit to dry for 1/2 hour or so. There will be some specks of pepper from the seasoning.

Once they have dried a bit, put them into a prepared smoker and close the lid tight.

Mine took four hours to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Allow to cool to room temperature before storing or freezing.

Enjoy your Canadian bacon in sandwiches or with a fried egg breakfast. Also makes a great hash. Make your own Canadian bacon for a real treat.


NOTES; if can't get the Montreal seasoning -
Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend

5 min | 5 min prep
Makes 1/4 cup

* 4 tablespoons salt
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon dehydrated onion
* 1/2 tablespoon dried garlic
* 1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
* 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
* 1/2 tablespoon dried fennel

1. Combine all in a Ziploc bag or shaker and mix thoroughly.

Dave: You can do it with just the sugar and salt cure. I add the seasoning because I like the flavor. I have done it without the first few times and was very satisfied. Thanks for that recipe for the Montreal Seasoning...have to try it out.
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Great Smoked Ribs - 8/10/08*****

1 T. each: black pepper -- white pepper, sugar, brown sugar
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
1 1/2 T. garlic powder
1 T. oregano
4 T. sweet paprika (not the spicy hot kind)
1 tsp. mustard powder
1 T. celery salt (I used seed)
1 T. salt

didn't have time to leave the rub on for 8+ hours, was on for 5 hours.

Funny, I was ready to deep six this rub until I tasted the ribs again after the bbq sauce was added. I'm so hooked on smoking again....

Don, these are my notes on what I did with the ribs - this is rub #3 (at the end of this)
"Well since it's been so long since I've done any smoking, I'm considering myself a real novice. I'm so pleased with the ribs from yesterday - after thinking OMG this darn rub is just too HOT!

I used a method I don't remember doing before - smoked for 3 hours, then wrapped them in foil with BBQ sauce on for another hour. The result was really moist and the sauce neutralized that darn rub I guess. They were delicious.

I found the rub on a site Maryann recommended -
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Some smoking/wood info you neeed -

* Exported from MasterCook *

How different Wood Smoke Flavor

Your smoker creates smoke by smoldering soaked wood chips over its heat source. There are many types of wood chips available on the market, and each type of wood yields a slightly different flavor. Some woods complement certain meats better than others:

Alder: light, delicate flavor excellent for salmon, chicken and pork

Apple and Cherry: sweet, fruity flavor that's great for poultry, game birds and pork

Hickory: strong, pungent bacon-like flavor used for beef, pork and ham. This is the most popular of flavoring woods

Maple: a sweet, smoky flavor ideal for game meat, poultry and pork

Mesquite: a little sweeter than hickory, but still strong, this wood is great for richly flavored meats such as lamb, beef, and duck

Pecan: a subtle but rich flavor that complements turkey or other poultry

There are also varieties of exotic woods such as plum, peach and guava, and still other chips are made from wine and bourbon barrels.
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I have not tried this one, but maybe Shannon will come on and discuss it.

Smoked Turkey Breast - TRY SOON

12 cups water -- (3 quarts) divided
3/4 cup kosher salt
1 medium shallot -- roughly chopped
1 medium clove garlic -- smashed
Zest of 1 lemon -- removed in large strips with a vegetable peeler
10 thyme sprigs
8 sage leaves
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon allspice berries
1 6 pound bone-in whole turkey breast (see Shopping Tip)
1 pound wood chips (about 8 cups) -- such as apple or hickory wood

1. Place 4 cups (1 quart) water, salt, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, sage, bay leaves and allspice berries in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

2. Pour the brine into a large bowl or clean tub; add the remaining 8 cups (2 quarts) water. Set turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 6 hours.

3. Two hours before preheating the grill, place wood chips in a large bowl of water to soak.

4. About 20 minutes before you are ready to grill, preheat a gas grill with all burners lit to 300°F or build a fire in a charcoal grill and let it burn down to low heat (about 300°F).

5. Drain the wood chips. If using a gas grill, fold a 12-by-20-inch piece of heavy-duty foil in half to create a 12-by-10-inch double-thick piece. Transfer the wet wood chips to the center of the foil and crimp up the edges to create a "basket." (If you have a gas grill with a smoking box, place the chips directly into the box.) Set the foil basket on the grill rack directly over the heat source. If using a charcoal grill, you will add the chips directly to the coals as the turkey cooks.

6. If using a gas grill, turn off one burner (leaving 1 to 2 burners lit, depending on your grill). If using a charcoal grill, move the coals to one side.

7. Remove the turkey from the brine, pat dry and set on the unheated side of the grill rack.

If using a charcoal grill, place one-third of the wood chips on the coals. Close the lid and roast undisturbed for 40 minutes.

8. Rotate the turkey 180 degrees, add half the remaining wood chips to the coals if using a charcoal grill, cover and continue roasting for 40 minutes.

9. Rotate the turkey 180 degrees one more time, add the remaining wood chips if using a charcoal grill, cover and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat without touching bone registers 165°F, 40 minutes to 1 hour more.

Transfer the turkey to a clean cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

eating well Smoked Turkey Breast Tips

Equipment: 1 pound wood chips for smoking, such as apple or hickory wood

Shopping tip: This recipe was developed for a minimally processed turkey. You can use a turkey breast that has been "enhanced" with saline solution (check the label for added sodium to be sure), but reduce the brining time to 3 hours. Overbrining an already "enhanced" turkey breast will make it too salty.

Description:
"Shannon/Dismc posted this 10/18/09"
S(Internet Address):
"http://www.forums.cuisineathome.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Number=88733"
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Smoking Chicken Breasts

Buy a family pack of bone in chicken breast halves.

Remove the skin, rinse in cold water, and pat dry.

Season with a mild dry rub seasoning:
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees and add some applewood for smoke.

Place the chicken breasts in the smoker, bone side down.

Remove the chicken breasts when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. No more, no less. Let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

Smoking Beef Ribs - a primer

Beef ribs can be tough and difficult. Cooked improperly they are practically too chewy to eat. Cooked properly they are tender and delicious. The secret with BBQ Beef Ribs, like all barbecue is to cook them low and slow. By smoking our beef ribs we are going to get the best ribs possible. It's going to take about 6 to 7 hours to smoke these right, but once they are done you won't regret a moment of the work that goes into them.

We are going to start by firing up the smoker. You want to build a big enough fire to hold a temperature between 225 and 250 degrees F. for the whole cooking time. Beef ribs have plenty of fat so we won't worry about wrapping these ribs like we would with pork ribs.

If you do choose to wrap them (to get the meat to fall of the bone) then you will want to do that for the 4th and 5th hour of the cooking time. I recommend a good dose of smoke, particularly in the first two hours so have wood chunks on hand. I suggest a fruit wood like apple or cherry but what you have on hand will work fine.

Beef ribs tend to get cut rather creatively by many butchers. Typically I find them cut into 4 to 5 bone sections running about 8 inches in length. For this tutorial I am using 4 of these sections or about 18 bones.

The supplies you will need for this are:

Several racks of Beef Ribs

A good Rib Rub

Fuel for your smoker (like charcoal or whatever your smoker burns)

Wood Chunks

Barbecue Sauce if you intend to sauce your ribs

A dull knife (like a butter knife)

A large, sharp knife

Knowing your ribs is going to help you a lot as you prepare them, smoke them and ultimately serve and eat them. Take a moment to inspect the beef ribs you have. Loose hanging pieces of meat and fat can be cut away. Sometimes they are cut up with small pieces of bone on the ends. It's best to remove these small pieces. Try to trim them up nice and neat, but don't cut away the fat from the ribs. The fat will keep the meat moist while it cooks and add sweetness to the ribs.

The membrane is a thin skin like layer on the bone side of the ribs. The membrane is going to hold out the flavor of your BBQ rub and the smoke and turn into a sheet of hard material that even the sharpest teeth won't be able to get through. Removing the membrane can be a bit of a challenge but it really improves the quality of your beef ribs if you can get it off.

It is easiest to remove the membrane if you can keep it intact. This means no sharp knives. However a blunt knife, like many kitchen knives or a butter knife (some people use a screwdriver). Slide the knife between the membrane and the bone gently. Work it around to loosen the membrane as much as possible. Once you get some of it loose enough to hold on to, grab the membrane with a paper towel and start working it away from the meat and bones. Some racks will give up the membrane easily and others won't. You just have to work with it to get it off.

The best and easiest way to get flavor into your beef ribs is by applying a BBQ Rub. This mixture of spices is going to sit on the ribs the whole time, sinking in and giving the meat flavor. The rub you choose is entirely up to you. I have a number of great rub recipes for you to choose from. You can pick a sweet, spicy, or savory rub. I suggest that you avoid anything with too much sugar. At 165 degrees F sugar burns and if your smoker hits this temperature for even a few minutes, the sugar will burn and this can ruin your ribs.

With your beef ribs all trimmed up and the membrane removed you are ready to apply the rub. I put mine in a shaker and shake it out on to the meat. You don't really need to "rub" it into the meat, but you want a good coating over every square inch of the ribs. The amount of rub that will stick to the ribs is exactly how much you want.

Handle the ribs gently from this point forward so that you don't loose any of the rub. The more you handle the ribs the more rub will fall off.

The more you know the workings of your smoker the better the quality of the barbecue you can produce. There are many smokers out there so I'm going to trust you to know the best way to give your beef ribs an even, smoky heat. You need to lay out the rib racks in such a way to let air and smoke flow between each rack.

If your smoker is hot on one side you may need to rotate your beef ribs, or switch them around to get an even heat. This is important since otherwise you won't want to move them during the whole cooking time. There is no flipping with these ribs.

Place the racks of beef ribs, bone side down and press them together from the ends. This compacts the rack. During cooking time the meat is going to shrink and you do not want to slow this process by spreading the rack out on the cooking surface.

Beef ribs will take about 6 hours to cook properly at a temperature between 225 and 250 degrees F. The best way to tell when your ribs are close to getting done is by the tenderness of the meat. Properly cooked the meat will be fork tender. Watch for this.

If you don't have a smoker you might want to ready my article on cooking Barbecue Ribs on the Grill.

I strongly recommend that you put a barbecue sauce on your beef ribs. While pork ribs are great with or without sauce, beef ribs benefit greatly from a good barbecue sauce. Again it would be a good idea to avoid a sauce with too much sugar, this is why I avoid barbecue sauces from the grocery store.

You can add sauce at any point during the smoking, but I suggest you wait until the last hour. This will give you time to apply several thin coats of barbecue sauce. This way you get a nice, sticky layer of sauce that will make your beef ribs great. If you want to add some real smoke flavor to the sauce throw a few extra chunks of wood on the fire to build up the smoke.

Once the beef ribs are completely cooked and you have all the barbecue sauce on them that you want it's time to get them off the smoker. Like any meat you should let the ribs rest before you start cutting them up. Resting meat allows the heat and juices to even out and the meat to relax making it more tender. Let beef ribs rest, covered with a sheet of foil for 5 to 10 minutes.

When the resting time is over you can carve them. The easiest way to cut beef ribs is to stand them up on their ends and to slip a knife down between the bones. If the beef ribs are cooked properly you can easily cut through the meat without it tearing away from the bones. Ribs are best eaten on the bone. While, fall of the bone ribs, sounds good, it isn't as good to eat.

The last part is to take note of your ribs. Too tender? Not tender enough? Too sweet? Too spicy? If you record your process the next time you smoke some ribs you will be able to make the necessarily adjustments to the process to get the ribs you want.

Description:
"Derrick's ideas"








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This will give you some things to think/read about. Have fun.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#15
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by cjs (Great lookin' smoker...)
Oh Yea!!! Thank You!!
Erin
Mom to three wonderful 7th graders!
The time is flying by.
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#16
  Re: New to Smoking food by esgunn (Ok, Steve had some...)
Sweeeeet!!! I got one for Christmas, too! An "Old Smokey" from Texas: http://www.oldsmokey.com/

Can't wait to check it out!! I think we might start a sticky thread for the summer for smokers. What the heck, we could start one now! I already added this thread to my favorites.

Barbara
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then find someone whose life has given them vodka.
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#17
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by BarbaraS (Sweeeeet!!! I got o...)
Erin that's like the smoker Joan (LvsTahoe) has. We've had some fun smoking in that baby!

I think chicken is probably the easiest first go, that Canadian Bacon is as simple as it gets.
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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#18
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by Harborwitch (Erin that's like the...)
Well I know what I"m doing this weekend....now to pick what the protein will be. I just adore smoking and I think I'll make bread too with baked beans in the cast iron dutch oven. Or maybe I'm just really hungry
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#19
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by DFen911 (Well I know what I"m...)
Very nice, Erin! You will have a great time with your new smoker. We like to put all kinds of meats in ours. Sometimes I put some baking potatoes in it for a little while too. We found the best way is to microwave them or bake until they are almost done, then put them in the smoker for a short time.
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#20
  Re: Re: New to Smoking food by Mare749 (Very nice, Erin! Yo...)
Denise - put the beans in the smoker!!! OMG - along with some mac & cheese! Give a few hours notice and we'll be there. LOL
You only live once . . . but if you do it right once should be enough!
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